Hogwarts Life: George Weasley
by klg193
Summary: Just a series of short stories detailing the love story between George Weasley and an original character. The stories span all different years and times, showcasing the evolution of their relationship.
1. Part 1: The Beginning

"Hermione, please!?" I heard from across the common room.

"For the last time George, no! I will not write your Charms essay for you!" Hermione said.

"But it's due tomorrow and I haven't even started yet!"

"Sorry, that's your problem. I've got other things to work on." She left the common room and I chuckled quietly to myself.

"Waiting until last minute again, are we?" I asked George. He gave me a look that said it all. I've been pretty good friends with the Weasley family for a while now. I was a year below the twins and a year above Ron. Our parents were friends so we were all pretty much raised together. And coincidentally we were all sorted into the Gryffindor House. The past few summers I've spent at the Burrow. My little sister and Ginny are best friends so it worked out pretty perfectly. And we fit in with the clan too. Okay, now that you know the back story we can return to reality.

"If you're going to give me the speech about being more responsible and managing my time more wisely you can just skip it because Hermione covered everything."

"Me lecture? Never."

He rolled his eyes and I said, "Come here, what's this essay about."

He sat down next to me on the couch and said, "Kelsey, you're brilliant at Charms! Will you please write this for me!?"

"Write it for you? No, but I will help you with it."

He hugged me, clearly thankful, and said, " Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank-"

"Easy. You can thank me when you finish the essay. I think you're putting too much faith in me. I am a year behind you so chances are I won't even know what you're learning."

"Of course you will!" he said this in a hopeful tone and I gave him a skeptical look. But sure enough, it was a topic I was pretty fluent in. I helped him form a thesis and gave him the crucial information he needed. I made him handwrite the whole thing, but I provided him with sentences to write. After some time, he even started to write his own sentences with factually correct information. I was impressed.

After three or so hours of working he convinced me to give him a break. He set aside his parchment and said, "So, Kelsey. How have you been?"

"Pretty great. Things have been going my way."

"Things always go your way. Your Irish blood brings you luck."

I shrugged and said, "Is that why you wanted my help? Because I'm lucky?"

"No, it was more because you're wicked smart. And I missed talking to you. I haven't seen you much this year."

"This is true. It's mostly because you and Fred are always working on a prank of some sort."

"And you're always talking to someone different, Miss Socialite."

"Oh that is not true. I'm just friendly that's all."

"Sure."

"Any good pranks in the works?"

"I know that you're dying to be a part of one of our infamous pranks, but that will never happen."

"I think you're underestimating me. Think about it, filling me in on a prank wouldn't be a bad thing."

"Oh? And why is that?"

"Because I'm logical. I think of everything, therefore there would be no chance of error. And, you know, I'm fun to be around."

"I will agree with you on the latter part. We need to hang out more. Outside of quidditch."

"Well you should remember that and ask me to hang out sometime. I'm pretty sure you'd much rather be spending time with me while we're doing something fun instead of writing an essay. And speaking of essay..." George groaned and grabbed his books.

"Come on, we only have a few paragraphs left to write." He started writing again and it was then I noticed it was 2 in the morning. I let out a big yawn and felt myself become tired immediately.

"You sound tired. You should go to bed. I don't have much left to write, I can handle it," he said.

I shook my head and replied, "No, I'm okay. And let's face it, you couldn't finish this without me."

"It's good enough as it is. If I BS the next few paragraphs it'll be fine."

"Nope. I have to keep you company. If I leave who's to say you won't fall asleep."

"Yeah, you're probably right about that." By this time we had relocated to sitting on the ground with our backs leaning against the couch, directly in front of the fireplace. I felt myself getting cold so I grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around my shoulders. George was being somewhat efficient, which was surprising. He was quietly muttering words to himself as he was writing and I had to admit it was kind of cute.

"How's it going?" I asked.

"I'm just trying to get this thing done. I don't care how good my writing is as long as I get my point across."

"Okay," I yawned. A moment later I found my head resting on his left shoulder. He noticed but he didn't seem to mind. Soon I felt my eyelids flutter over my eyes and I was out.

* * *

I woke up the next morning to find myself in a room that was not my own. It was not the common room either. It was definitely a dorm but whose, I was unsure.

"Morning sunshine," someone said. I looked up to find George's face smiling down at me.

"Morning," I said as enthusiastically as I could. "Where am I exactly?"

"In my room. See last night you fell asleep, and I didn't want to wake you. So I was going to carry you to your room but then I remembered that boys aren't able to enter the girls' dorms. And I just took you to the next place I could think of, which was here."

"You could have just left me on the couch in the common room, you know?"

"Sure I could've, but you were already shivering. I just thought you'd be more comfortable in my bed."

"Well that was very sweet of you. But where did you sleep?"

"On the floor. I grabbed some spare pillows and blankets and-"

"George! You didn't have to sleep on the floor. You really should have just left me in the common room. I would've been fine. I never meant to take your bed."

"I just wanted you to be comfortable. Any gentleman would have done the same thing. Now please stop arguing with me because there isn't anything you can do to change it."

I opened my mouth to say something but found I had nothing to say. I slouched and crossed my arms, clearly unhappy with his previous statement.

"How did the essay come out?"

"I showed it to Hermione already and she said it looked decent. I just need a passing grade. If I pass this, I pass the class."

"Oh, I didn't realize this paper was so important..."

"You did all you could. Most of it was on me, for being a slacker. But thank you. I'm really happy we reconnected last night."

I smiled at him. "Me too. And it's no problem. Really."

I left his room and headed to my room, receiving curious looks on the way. Last night made me realize how much I had missed George. We used to be best friends but recently we drifted apart. We were still friends, but no where near as close as we used to be. I only hoped he would take my advice and ask me to hang out soon.

* * *

"Kelsey!" I turned around to see who was calling for me. It was George and he seemed very excited about something. I asked the group I was in a discussion with to excuse me and I headed toward George.

"Kelsey! I've been looking everywhere for you!"

"Oh have you?"

"Yeah! Guess what!?"

"Do you really want me to guess? Because I'm not a great guesser."

"I got my paper back and I got an O!"

"O as in outstanding!? Really? That's awesome!"

"I owe it all to you! You practically wrote the paper for me."

"I did not write the paper for you. I helped you write it. But thanks anyway."

"You really don't understand do you? You are the reason I passed! Flitwick was so impressed he even wanted to keep it to use as an example!" Now that was a big deal. Flitwick very rarely chose an essay to keep for future students to reference. Only a handful of mine hand been picked from all my years at Hogwarts.

"I'm really happy for you! You just seem so excited."

"I am excited!" He embraced me in a hug and managed to pick me up off the ground, while spinning me around. I just laughed and I felt like such a little girl. He put me down and I just smiled at him. Then the last thing I ever expected to happen happened. His face became serious and he leaned in to kiss me. It was a relatively short kiss. I think what happened was he just did it without thinking because he pulled back and his face was that of panic and shock.

"I'm so sorry. I don't know what-" he started, before I cut him off. I grabbed his chin and brought it down towards me and kissed him again, this time more passionately. He wrapped his arms around my waist and I reached mine around his neck. Everything felt so...right. I couldn't help but smile as I realized this had been what I wanted all along. It just took me 16 years to realize it. Who knew what the future would entail with us


	2. Part 2: The Yule Ball

"So Hermione, do you have a date to the Yule Ball yet?" I asked.

"Actually, I do. Viktor Krum has asked me."

"Viktor Krum! Look at you, all the other boys are gonna be so jealous."

"Yeah, but you and George are gonna look so cute!" she replied. I shifted my eyes away from hers and smiled awkwardly.

"Well, he hasn't actually asked me yet so…"

"What? But you've been dating for months! He hasn't asked you?"

"Sadly, he has not. He probably just assumes we're going together but he hasn't officially asked me. In fact, he's never actually brought it up."

"Do you want me to mention it to him?" she suggested.

"Oh no, don't worry about." As cool as I may have seemed, this situation did make me uncomfortable. When it comes down to it, I'm a teenage girl and formal dances are pretty rare at Hogwarts. So of course I wanted to go. But I didn't want to say anything to George. I wanted him to go with me as much as I wanted to go with him. Hopefully things would work out. They always did.

* * *

After classes ended for the day, I went to the common room to just relax and socialize. I gave the password and stepped into the portrait hole. Moments later I heard people whispering in the corner and I had a feeling they were talking about me. Truthfully, I was a little pissed off. My business had nothing to do with any of these people and it was not that big of a deal. I tried to ignore it but I could feel it getting to me. I hoped it wasn't Hermione who was gossiping but she was the only person I told. It's possible that someone could have overheard but I wouldn't be surprised if Hermione mentioned it casually to someone. I went to the common room and changed into jeans and a tee shirt. It was Friday night and I didn't have anything really planned. I thought it might be a good idea to go for a walk around the castle to clear my head. I grabbed my cardigan and headed out by myself. I didn't need anyone to talk with. I just needed space to think.

The castle was a bit lively, with people rushing off to common rooms and perhaps the room of requirement. I found a comfy window sill to sit on and look out at the sky. The sun was setting and the sky was painted pink. Suddenly everything went black. I immediately tensed up out of uncertainty.

"Don't freak out. It's just me." I relaxed then.

"George, what are you doing? Take this blindfold off of me!"

"It's okay, just come with me." He took my hand and helped me up.

"Where are we going?" I asked with curiosity.

"Just trust me, you'll like it." I didn't argue with him, because I knew he was right.

"You seem tense, Kels. What's going on?" Part of me was happy he noticed my off mood but the other part of me didn't want to explain what was going on.

"I'm just stressed. My schoolwork's been piling up and it's been a bit much to handle." I knew he didn't believe it, but he also didn't say anything else.

"And here's where you stop."

"Don't you mean we stop?"

"No, I mean you stop." I made a confused face which probably couldn't be seen under the blindfold but I stopped anyway. He let go of my hand and I felt him pick me up bridal style.

"George, what are you doing?"

"We've reached the uphill portion of our trip and I just thought it might be faster if I carried you." I knew this was just an excuse to carry me, and I kind of liked it. After what seemed like an endless amount of stairs, George returned me to a state of equilibrium.

"Okay, we've reached our destination," he said. My blindfold disappeared and we were at the top of the astronomy tower. I looked out and the night sky was brilliant and clear. The stars were bright and they sparkled beautifully. It was honestly the perfect moment. I had a gut feeling I was about to get myself a date to the dance.

"Wow, it's so beautiful up here. I've never seen the sky so clear before."

"Isn't it gorgeous?"

"It's breathtaking." He put his arm around me and sighed. I couldn't think of anything to say. I just kept waiting for something exciting to happen. Like a spontaneous fireworks display or the stars to shift and spell out "Yule Ball?" or something of that sort. But it never came. As nice as it was spending serious alone time with him, I was disappointed. I smiled a sad smile and realized I might not be attending this special event.

We returned to the common room and I went directly to bed. I just couldn't believe George didn't ask me. He had the perfect moment and he wasted it. Maybe things between us weren't going as well as I had thought. Maybe he hadn't asked me yet because he was planning on breaking up with me. I was just confused and I probably should have just talked to him about it. But of course, things weren't that easy.

The next morning I woke up and got dressed, like I would any other day, but I had no pep in my step. I went downstairs to eat breakfast but felt I didn't have much to contribute to the conversation. George told me that he was planning a trip to Hogsmeade with Fred so they could stock up on Butterbeer for tonight's party. Of course, they were going secretly and I was invited as always. I passed on the offer and told them to have fun. My Saturday would probably be spent doing homework by myself. But on the bright side, it was a beautiful day so I could spend some time outside. I found a tree that provided just the right amount of shade and I got comfortable. Although I was getting my work done diligently, my mind was wandering elsewhere and it kept coming back to my current situation. It was driving me crazy. _All he has to do is ask me. It's as simple as that. He doesn't have to make it theatrical or amazing, just the simple question would do_. My thoughts were interrupted when I felt someone sit next to me.

"Hey Kelsey," I looked up suddenly and smiled.

"Hello Cedric. How've you been?" Cedric and I were friends, I suppose, but we hadn't talked in a while. His popularity had escalated quite a bit since he was deemed a Triwizard Champion.

"Well I've actually been quite wonderful. But I'm in a bit of a situation and I was wondering if you could help me out?"

"Sure, of course I'll help."

"You see, I don't know if you've heard about it, but there's this ball coming up and I kind of need a date. It's been tough to find someone because I've got my eye on a girl who's beautiful, and intelligent and really fun to be around, and that girl is you. May I have the honor of escorting you to the Yule Ball?" I didn't know what to say. I was sure I was blushing because it was Cedric Diggory.

"Cedric, I'm really flattered, but I'm dating George."

"Yes, but from what I've heard, he hasn't asked you yet."

"No, he has not."

"Listen, you don't have to answer right now. Take some time, think it over, and tell me tonight. You'll be at the party right?"

"I should be there, yeah."

"Okay, then I'll see you later," he smiled. He stood up and left me to my work. I watched him walk away and he looked back at me and smiled again. Cedric was basically the perfect guy. He had looks, personality, athleticism, intelligence, and a great sense of humor. About half the girls in school were probably in love with him. And I was the one he chose to ask to the ball. Decisions, decisions.

I finished my school work and returned to the Gryffindor common room. Fred and George were still out with Lee gathering party supplies but from what I had heard, people were heading to the room of requirement now. I was changing into something cuter when I heard Lavender and Paravati gossiping in the room next door.

"George is definitely about to break up with her. I mean that must be why he hasn't asked her to the Yule Ball."

"But they're cute together. I don't want to see them break up. She's so nice and she seems genuinely happy."

"Well I heard he's been flirting with Angelina Johnson and he'd rather ask her to the ball."

"Now who did you hear that from?"

"Padma said she heard it from Ginny. And she would know right? She is his sister."

I couldn't listen to them anymore. I should have known better than to listen in the first place. But what if they were right and that if George was about to break up with me? I couldn't fall victim to heartbreak right now. Everything had been going so well. I shook my head and tried to convince myself it was just gossip, but a part of me still felt uneasy. I met up with a few other Gryffindors and we headed to the room of requirement. It seemed like we were the last to arrive because the room was nearly full with Hogwarts students. Moments after my arrival, someone smoothly slid their arm around my shoulder.

"Hey Kelsey," I looked up and saw Cedric.

"Hi Cedric."

It was weird having his arm around me, simply because it wasn't George. But it was sort of nice. When I was with Cedric, my mind wasn't speeding. I was relaxed and felt down to Earth. It was refreshing.

"Have you thought any more about my offer?" he asked.

"Actually yes I have."

"Look, I know it's probably a lost cause because I can tell you're really into George. But this doesn't have to be romantic. I just know we would have so much fun together." I was quiet in thought again. I was sure I had my mind made up but something had suddenly changed.

"I would love to be your date to the ball," I said. Part of me couldn't believe what I had just said. Was I cheating on George by doing this? Nothing was going to happen except some dancing. It would be fun. Plus, he was a champion! How could I say no to him? I didn't want to make George mad or jealous, but maybe this would wake him up and make him realize he should have asked me.

* * *

"Hey Kels, I heard a funny bit of gossip the other day," George said to me. A knot formed in my stomach and I knew I would have to explain myself.

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, someone told me you were going to the Yule Ball with Cedric Diggory, which couldn't possibly be true, right?"

I hesitated before answering, "It is true, actually." He didn't respond right away. In fact, he didn't respond at all. But he didn't need to. I could see the hurt in his eyes and I immediately regretted my impromptu decision. He turned and walked away, visibly upset. I felt horrible. I let my little petty girl problems get the best of me.

"George, wait!" I called after him. He didn't turn around though. He just waved his hand as if swatting me away. I watched him walk away and was on the verge of tears. What was I thinking? I had to find Cedric…

* * *

The Yule Ball was finally here. And I was not going. I found Cedric and told him I couldn't go with him after all. He was disappointed but I think he understood. It didn't matter though because the next day he asked Cho to be his escort. Clearly I wasn't that important to him since I was so replaceable. I mean sure, it would have been fun to go with him, but afterwards nothing would have changed. I was literally putting my relationship in jeopardy for attention. But since I didn't have a date to the ball, I decided to stay in and relax. It was hard seeing how excited everyone was getting all dressed up and to go to this once in a lifetime opportunity. It was even worse because I had a dress and shoes and everything I needed, but I had no place to wear them. I found it funny that I agreed to go with Cedric because I wanted to avoid sitting at home by myself, yet that's what happened anyway.

By this point, everyone had left for the dance and I was alone in the common room. I had no idea what I was going to do with a few hours of free time. I was sitting on the couch just reading and trying to teach myself a few charms when I heard someone enter the room. I figured it was just a girl who forgot her handbag or something until someone sat down next to me.

"Hey," George said.

"Hey," I replied. I was completely unsure of what to say.

"Where's Cedric?"

"I told him I couldn't go."

"Why?"

"Because I never wanted to go with him in the first place and I shouldn't have agreed to be his date. I let my petty girl problems get the better of me, which makes me feel like a hypocrite because I hate those stupid girls who do things for attention. George, I am so sorry that I screwed everything up."

"I just don't understand why you would agree to go with him while we were together."

"I was starting to doubt that you were going to ask me. That night in the astronomy tower was so perfect and I genuinely thought you were going to ask me. And when you didn't, I panicked. I didn't want to end up sitting at home while everyone else was out, which ended up happening anyway. And then rumors were circulating that you were interested in someone else and I just felt helpless."

"Kelsey, of course I was going to ask you. You are the only person I'd ever want to go with. But I wanted the moment to be perfect. I was planning on doing it that night but it just seemed too obvious. I wanted to surprise you when I asked you. Maybe I was thinking about it too much but I just wanted it to be perfect. I wanted to be a perfect boyfriend."

I didn't know what to say. That was probably the sweetest thing he had ever said to me. Before I knew it, my arms were around him. "Oh George," was all I could manage for now. He hugged me back and I didn't want to let go. But eventually I did. I kept my hands on his shoulders and said, "You are the perfect boyfriend. I'm so, so sorry. I've missed you so much these past couple of days."

He had few words, but his lips were on mine and that said it all. There was a part of me that wanted to be all dolled up right now and dancing the night away. However, the other side of me was perfectly happy staying in with George and just spending quality time with him.

"Now go get changed," he said to me.

"What?" I asked.

"Go get changed. We have a ball to attend."

"George, the ball started over an hour ago."

"Well good. Then we can be fashionably late. Besides, I don't go anywhere without making a grand entrance."

I smiled at him and kissed him on the cheek before getting changed.

I put on my black, backless dress and red heels and felt…different. The fit me perfectly and honestly, it made me look sexy. This wasn't how I was expecting to feel when getting all dressed up. I ignored the feeling as I pinned my hair back into a sort of faux hawk ponytail combination. Once I was completely accessorized I looked in the mirror and felt kind of like a rock star ( yule_ball_with_george_weasley/set?id=68860765).

As I walked down the stairs to the common room, I saw George sitting there all dressed up. He looked adorable in his classy dress robes and I was happy all of our problems were resolved.

"Wow, Kelsey. You look…you look amazing."

I just smiled at him and said, "You look pretty dapper yourself."

"I never in a million years thought you'd wear something like this to the ball."

"Me neither. But I was originally going to go with Cedric and I guess I felt like I needed to kick it up a notch to impress him. I don't know though, I kind of like this look."

"You always look beautiful to me," he said.

"Thanks babe," I said kissing his cheek. "Let's go make an entrance!"

* * *

George apparently had this elaborate plan for our entrance but he wouldn't let me in on any of it. We were about to transcend down the stairs when all of the sudden all the lights went out. There was a moment of darkness but then blue and white fireworks lit up in the shape of snowflakes and drifted downwards. Then a spotlight appeared and found the two of us immediately.

"That's our cue," he said. I took his arm and he led me down the stairs. He was waving his free arm like he was some sort of celebrity and I played along, blowing kisses to the crowd. We were a few steps away from the bottom and everyone started applauding, even the teachers. I knew they all liked George, even if he was disruptive in class. Once we reached the floor, the lighting returned to normal and what seemed like a crowd of people came rushing toward us.

Mostly everyone was complimenting us on our entrance and our appearance. Some people commented on how they thought we weren't coming and we were broken up and the works. Hermione finally made her way to us and I gave her a big hug.

"Kelsey, I'm so happy you're here! You look incredible!" she shrieked excitedly.

"Me? Look at you! You're stunning!" It was true. She looked gorgeous. We talked quickly and then she returned to Viktor. There was still a bit of a crowd and George and I were kind of stuck.

"If you'll all excuse us. I'd like to dance with my lovely girlfriend. After all, this is a dance," George grabbed my hand and the crowd parted like the Red Sea as we made our way to the dance floor.

"You're incredible, you know that?" I said to him.

"Yeah, I know," he joked. I playfully hit him and laughed before saying, "How did you pull that off."

"Well Fred certainly helped me out. And surprisingly so did McGonagall." We both looked over to see the head of our house smiling at us. She waved and we both waved back, returning the smile. "She was pretty concerned when she heard we weren't going together. She offered her service in case I needed help with anything."

"Huh, McGonagall likes us. Who would've guessed," I stated.

"Well, I'd say we're pretty likable people. Or at least I am," he joked. I just smiled at him and gave him a quick peck. The night had turned out even better than I imagined. So what if I didn't get asked to the Yule Ball in some cute and creative way. I think I had the best night out of everyone else there. And the best boyfriend to go along with it.


	3. Part 3: The Departure

"No…no you can't do this to me." I said, holding back tears.

"Kelsey, it'll be okay. I promise. We'll find a way to see each other."

"I'm coming with you then."

"I can't let you do that. If you want to become a healer, you need to take your N.E.W.T's."

"I don't care about that. I just want to be with you."

"Kels," he pleaded, "you need to stay and finish school. I don't want you regretting your decision to leave. I want you to be successful."

"George, please don't. I…I don't think I can survive without you," I was crying now. I just didn't see this coming at all.

"It'll only be a few months and then you'll be done school and you can come live with me."

"A few months? I have over a year left."

"It won't be that bad. Maybe talk to Dumbledore…or McGonagall and see if they'll let you take the N.E.W.T's a year early. You'll be able to pass them. You're a smart cookie."

"Promise that you'll write to me everyday?"

"Of course I'll write to you darling. And I'll use the floo network and we can meet up for butterbeers among other things. Oh, that reminds me. I have something for you," he paused and rifled through his pack until he pulled out what appeared to be a piece of parchment. Then I realized what it was.

I gasped, "No…the map?"

"I don't really have too much use for it now. Besides if you're going to sneak out and see me, you'll need this," he smiled. As much as I had been positively influencing George ever so slightly, he'd been wearing off on me too. In all honesty, I probably didn't need the map to sneak out. I'd gotten really good at it. But I took it anyway. It could come in handy. I don't know if this small gesture changed my view, but I realized things would be okay now. This way I could focus more on my studies so that I could get the job I'd always wanted. I also kind of admired Fred and George for leaving and starting their own business. I had no doubts about their success. They'd been doing this stuff for years.

"Honey, please don't cry. I promise everything will be okay," he said, wiping away the tears on my cheek ever so slightly.

"I know, I know. I just can't help but be upset." He pulled me close to him and held me for a moment. It was hard not to cry. I tried to keep it to a minimum but it hurt thinking there was a chance you could lose someone forever. What if he met someone else? Thinking about that only made things worse so I tried to erase the image from my head, which proved to be pretty difficult.

George ran his fingers through my hair and brushed his hands up and down my back, trying to calm me down.

"I love you Kelsey."

I looked up into his eyes and just smiled.

"What did you say?" I grinned.

A sly smile spread across his face, "I love you."

I put my hand on his cheek and pulled his face down to mine. I kissed him so deeply and passionately that my knees went weak. I wrapped my arm around his neck as he put his hand around my waist. The next thing I knew, he leaned me back, in sort of a dip if you will, while we were still kissing. I smiled, breaking our kiss and his face hovered just above mine for a moment. "I love you too," I smiled.

* * *

Here it was, the moment I'd been waiting for. The moment that determined if I'd wasted my 6 years or if I'd be successful. Essentially, my fate was featured in this little envelope. I couldn't open it here in the common room. My reaction would definitely be animated and I didn't need to distract others. I scurried off to my room and began to feel nervous and excited at the same time.

It had been a rough couple of months. After begging and pleading with Professor McGonagall she finally agreed to let me take my N.E.W.T.'s a year early. But she told me it would be very difficult since most students have the whole year to prepare and I only had a little over a month. I was fine with that though, whatever got me out of school earlier. I still wasn't even sure how I was still functioning. I basically buried myself in schoolwork to distract myself from the pain of being away from George. I spent a few weekends at Hogsmeade with Hermione, but most of the time it was so that I could sneak away and spend an hour or two with George. Without him, I didn't feel like myself. It just felt like a part of me was missing and I didn't like that feeling.

I opened the door to my room and dropped all my things on the floor. I leaned my back against the shut door and opened the envelope. Before I unfolded the parchment, I mentally prepared myself for the consequences. That didn't last too long though, I was too anxious.

I skimmed through the standard paragraph at the top that was a necessity for almost all Hogwarts documents. Now for the important stuff. In order to become a healer, it was necessary to receive at least exceeds expectations in the following categories: Herbology, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, and Potions.

CHARMS: Outstanding – Filius Flitwick

DEFENSE AGAINST THE DARK ARTS: Exceeds Expectations – Delores Umbridge

HERBOLOGY: Outstanding – Pomona Sprout

POTIONS: Exceeds Expectations – Severus Snape

TRANSFIGURATION: Outstanding – Minerva McGonagall

"Merlin's beard…I did it. I actually did it!" I excitedly whispered to myself.

"Was there ever any doubt?" someone said. I looked up for the first time upon entering my room and noticed my favorite ginger sitting on my bed with a sly smile on his face. "Hey stranger," he said.

"George!" I said before I tackled him with a hug. "What are you doing here!?" I asked after a few kisses.

"Well, I had to come and celebrate with you!"

"I'm so happy you're here. This is seriously the best day ever."

"And it's about to get even better," he commented.

"What?" I said perking up. I looked at him questioningly and he couldn't fight back that adorable smile.

"I spoke to my Great Aunt Muriel…"

"Why? Isn't she awful?"

"Let me finish."

"Sorry…continue."

"I spoke with her because she used to be a healer, at St. Mungo's. She kind of has some power there and people respect her opinion. I mentioned that you were hoping to get a position there and she read over your records. Your N.E.W.T. scores were on there, as well as your marks for school and it all looks pretty impressive. She said she would mention you to the board involved in hiring healers for the incoming year."

"You did that for me?"

"I'd do anything for you," he said. I wrapped my arms around him and squeezed him tight. "Thank you so much, George. You have no idea how much this means to me."

"I just want to make you happy," he smiled at me.

"Being with you makes me happy." I leaned in to kiss him again. Everything felt so perfect in the moment and I knew our relationship was about to reach another level.

"What are the chances we'll be alone in here for a little while?'

"Well it's risky. I don't know when Alicia will be back…" I sighed disappointed.

George smiled, "I've got a better idea…"

He took my hand and pulled me off the bed with ease. We darted into the common room before I realized no one else could know George was here.

"Wait, George. We can't let anyone see you here. I just…I don't want anything bad to happen to you or the business or anything."

He nodded, knowing I was right and I told him he needed to be sneakier once we left this safe haven.

I popped my head outside the portrait hole and scanned the hallway. Not a student or teacher in sight. George jumped out in front of me and took my hand. I still wasn't sure where we were going. After turning a corner, a door appeared in front of us. Then I understood where our destination was: the room of requirement.

Before he opened the door, he looked at me and said, "You're sure you want to do this?" In response, I nodded excitedly and smiled childishly which I found sort of ironic.

He opened the door and the room took my breath away. It was comparable to a suite at a five star hotel. There were pink rose petals scattered along the floor and floating candles all around the room. A huge king sized bed was featured in the center of the room and there were two swanky armchairs in the corner. The lighting was dim but it gave the room the proper mood for the occasion. The bathroom was lavish with a shower and a Jacuzzi tub. It couldn't have been more perfect.

"Wish I could say I arranged all of this," George said, "but the room has a mind of it's own."

"It's perfect though," I smiled at him. Then he scooped me up and carried me over to the bed. I held his face in my hands and kissed him passionately. It was so hard being away from him. George was on my mind every minute of everyday. But now he was here and for one night I had him all to myself. It was almost surreal. I had to make sure I wasn't dreaming that this was happening.

"You know, it's funny because this isn't how I pictured this moment. But it's still perfect because I'm with you," he whispered in my ear. He then moved his mouth onto my neck and began kissing my pale skin. He knew I loved being kissed on my neck and when he moved up to gently tug on my ear with his teeth, it drove me wild. I took his hand and guided him to the bed, holding eye contact with him the entire time.

"I'm sorry I'm not wearing something sexier. Can't say I was expecting this to happen."

"Are you kidding me? Kelsey, you know you are the most beautiful girl in the world to me. I don't need you to dress in expensive lingerie just to impress me. You are sexy when you are the cute and humble human being that you are." How could I not adore him after that? I was even more certain this was the right decision to make with the right boy because there wasn't a doubt in my mind that he loved me.

"I love you Georgie," I whispered to him before kissing him softly on the lips.

"I love you more than anything in the world," he replied.

We had waited long enough and it was finally the right time for this to happen. It was the beginning of our lives together, the moment when the two of us as individuals became one entity.

I was extremely nervous, but I was also excited. More than anything, I was just happy to spend some quality time with George. "Where should we start?" George whispered, "The bed, the chair, the shower, the Jacuzzi…?" I didn't realize we had so many options until they were listed for us. I figured it would be best to keep it simple for the first time. We could expand our horizons later in the evening.

"I'm happy here…for now," I smiled at him. George was basically twitching in anticipation. I decided maybe I should tease him a little bit. I pulled away for a moment and took time to take off my riding boots and socks. "What're you doing, baby?"

"It's just a little toasty in here," I smirked at him. He gave me a curious look. I took the opportunity to stand up. I slid off my leggings to reveal the sky blue, lace boy shorts I was wearing. George was clearly enjoying himself as he made himself more comfortable on the bed. I slowly pulled at the bottom of my sweater and bit my lip, in an attempt to be sexy. George didn't say anything but the look in his eyes said it all. I swiftly pulled the sweater over my head and stood half naked in front of him. While I would consider my physical stature more of a ruler than an hourglass, I felt confident in my miss-matching blue underwear and black bra. George took this moment to remove his shirt; I couldn't tear my eyes from his torso. It was perfectly chiseled, but not too bulky. I climbed onto the bed and crawled up, on top of George. I kissed his chest and worked my way up toward his neck. He put his hands around me and started gently rubbing my back. His sighs and moans only made me giggle. Soon he flipped me onto my back and was on top of me. Our kissing became more intimate and more aggressive, in a sense. George pinned my arms up above my head and I was turned on by his dominance over me. I managed to free my hands and I unbuttoned his jeans. Seconds later he was wearing only his boxer briefs and I wrapped my hands around his neck. He started kissing my neck again and this time it was me who was doing the moaning. I soon decided it was time to step things up; I pulled at the sheets and we both went under the covers where the festivities continued.

* * *

"Well that was fun," I smiled at George. I was resting my head on his chest and he had his arm around me and was stroking my hair.

"Indeed it was. You still love me, right?" he asked.

I propped myself up and looked at him. "Of course I still love you."

"Okay good. I just wanted to make sure you weren't using me for sex," he joked. I smacked his chest and laughed with him.

"Can we just stay here forever?" I asked him.

"Well I mean we could…or we could go make good use of the Jacuzzi…"

I gave him a mischievous look, accompanied with a grin, before I kissed him on the cheek and slid out of bed. I sauntered over to the bathroom and started up the tub. I poked my head out of the doorway and looked at George. "You coming? Or am I using this myself?" After that it didn't take long for George to hop out of bed and join me.

* * *

"George, did you know this was going to happen tonight?" I asked him. We had finally retired to the bed and we were cuddling, about to fall asleep.

"Of course I wanted it to happen, but I wasn't planning on it happening. I didn't know how you felt about it and I didn't want to pressure you."

"Well you didn't. I just wish we could spend every night together like this."

"Who says we can't?" he replied.

"What are you scheming…?"

"Scheming? I prefer the term planning."

"Oh please, those words mean the same thing to you. But anyway, tell me what you're thinking?"

"It's simple, you move in with me."

"Really? Is that a real offer?"

"Of course it's a real offer. But of course moving in with me entails moving in with Fred and his lady friend. I do hope you'll say yes though, because I'm tired of being the third wheel."

"I suppose I could relieve you of your third wheel responsibilities."

"Oh is that all?"

"Maybe it wouldn't be too bad seeing your smiling face everyday," I teased further.

"So it's settled then. I'll start moving things around to give you space for your stuff. Which basically means I'll be cleaning out my closet."

"Oh come on, I don't have that much stuff."

"Yeah but you will because I plan on spoiling you and buying you everything your heart desires."

"How did I get so lucky?"

"You've always been lucky," he stated.

"Do you ever just think about how we got here?"

"All the time. I think about how thankful I was that you helped me with that essay. And things just fell into place perfectly. You know, Fred always thought we'd end up together."

"Did he?"

"Yeah, when we were younger her would always tease me about it. I never actually told him I liked you, but he just knew. And he knew how to press my buttons about it. Of course back then I just thought it was a lost cause and I didn't have a chance in hell."

"Did you ever think we'd be together?" I asked.

"I hoped we would. As I got older I started seeing us together more. But we also didn't spend a lot of time together so it was still more of a fantasy."

"When I was real little, like before Hogwarts, I always thought we were gonna get married. It wasn't even because I had a crush on you either. Or maybe I did have a crush on you but I just didn't know it. Regardless, I'm happy being with you. And no matter what happens between us, you'll always be my first love."

"You'll be my first and last," he responded. "I intend on being with you forever."

I looked at him lovingly and kissed him softly on the lips. "I'd like that," I responded. I cuddled up even closer to George, if that was possible, and felt us both start to doze off. His warm chest was under my head and his heartbeat slowly lulled me to sleep. I couldn't have imagined a better end to my day.


	4. Part 4: The Wedding

"George let's go! We're going to be late!" I looked at the clock and waited precisely five seconds before barging into the room.

"What could possibly be taking you so long?" I asked him. I saw George with an open suitcase and his wand, packing all his belongs last minute. "You told me you packed last night," I said sternly.

"Well I did. Then I realized I didn't have enough packed and felt I needed to add to my luggage a bit."

"You're even more high maintenance than I am," I joked.

"Have I ever told you how much I love you?" he smiled at me. His suitcase finally closed and he walked over to me, embracing me in a tight hug.

"You may have mentioned it a few times. Lucky for you I never get tired of hearing it." I gave him a peck on the lips and then went to gather my belongings.

"Now we really need to go. We're already late and something tells me we're one step away from getting kicked out of the wedding party."

"Whatever you say, my lady." He grabbed my hand and we apparated to the Burrow. It wasn't the ideal time for a wedding, but at the same time it was something we all needed. Fred and Annabelle were so set on getting married and they were so in love.

I had grown particularly close to Annabelle over the past few months considering we were both living in the same apartment, and both dating Weasleys. I ended up moving in with George after my departure from Hogwarts and Anna was living in the apartment, staying in Fred's room. It was a small space for four people, but we made it work and had fun being cramped. After the wedding, Anna and Fred were planning to move out and get their own place (somewhere spacious to raise all the children they're planning on having, I imagine). It'll be sad seeing them leave, but I was excited for George and I to have a place all our own.

We arrived in the kitchen of the Burrow right as breakfast was being served.

"Kelsey! Darling!" Mrs. Weasley said, shuffling over to give me a big hug.

"Yeah, don't mind me. It's not like I'm your son or anything," George remarked.

"Oh hush you," she said, swatting him with a towel before hugging him.

Everyone at the table got up to greet us. Everyone included: Mr. Weasley, Bill, Fred, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Harry, Charlie, Fleur and Annabelle. We were all staying at the Burrow for the weekend, since the wedding was to take place here. I was impressed when Fleur actually remembered my name after meeting me for what seemed like the 100th time. Mrs. Weasley pulled up two seats for us and we sat and ate while she sent our bags upstairs. Everyone seemed pleasant and conversation flowed easily, but you could still feel a little bit of tension in the room. For one, Harry barely said a word. Harry was usually quiet, but this was something else. George had mentioned that the three of them weren't returning to Hogwarts for the 7th year and I couldn't say I blamed them. Snape had been instated as Headmaster and everything about that seemed awful. Soon everyone finished and we went out back for a friendly game of quidditch.

* * *

The day had gone by pretty quickly (the Burrow always had stuff going on, which made time move fast) and soon enough it was dark out. Technically, the night before the wedding day was reserved for some sort of bachelor/bachelorette party, but nothing wild was planned. All the girls were staying in Ginny's room for the night, aside from Fleur who was staying with Bill, and we decided to drink and have a girls' night.

I supplied firewhiskey and Fleur had contributed a few bottles of "ze finest wine in France." I was not planning on getting that drunk, considering tomorrow was a big day for Annabelle, and as Maid of Honor, I had to make sure everything went according to plan. Ginny and Hermione let the alcohol get the best of them and went to bed relatively early. Fleur left to be with Bill, which left Anna and I. She told me about how excited she was to get married and how she knew she was making the right decision and everything. I couldn't have been any happier for her and once our talk ended, I suggested we go to bed and get some sleep before the big day tomorrow.

I'm pretty sure Anna fell asleep immediately, somehow, and that left me alone with my thoughts. I was thrilled for her and Fred. I really was. But it was hard not to think about my relationship status with George. We started dating before they did, yet they were the ones getting married. I didn't doubt my relationship with George for a minute, but it did make me think. We had never really discussed the future in detail. After lying awake for what seemed like hours, I decided to go down to the kitchen for a glass of water and maybe a snack.

I slipped down the stairs as quietly as I could, careful not to wake anyone. I heard some shuffling coming from the kitchen, but I just assumed it was the ghoul in the attic rattling the pipes or something. I was surprised to find a ginger figure walking around the kitchen looking for food. I thought about sneaking up on him, but the minute I reached the bottom step he turned around.

"Hey sugar," he said, kissing me on the forehead. "What are you doing down here so late?"

"Couldn't sleep."

"Stressed about tomorrow, eh?" he asked.

"No, it's not that I don't think. I just have a lot on my mind."

He brought over a plate of cookies and a tall glass of milk for us to share, which was exactly what I needed.

"What are you thinking about girly?" he half-smiled.

"Just overanalyzing things as usual," I sighed, taking a bite out of a cookie.

"Meaning?"

"You're happy with the way things are going between us, right?"

He looked at me a little concerned. "Well yeah, I couldn't be happier. Are you happy?"

"Yes, of course I'm happy. It's just all this wedding stuff is making me think about the future and we haven't really ever discussed that and I'm just worried we aren't on the same page."

"Tell me what you want," he replied, "for the future."

"I…I mean I don't know. I haven't really thought about it in detail…" I trailed.

"Just tell me what you want, anything and everything that you want, and I'll make it happen," he said softly. He gently picked up my hands and looked deeply into my eyes. I don't think I'd ever seen him this serious.

"All I want is to be with you," I said, matching his eye contact. He took my hands and pulled me to his side of the table, where I found a seat on his lap. "I think that can be arranged," he purred while pulling me toward him even further, into a deep and passionate kiss. I wrapped my arms around his neck and brought him closer to me. He countered my move by squeezing me even tighter and making me feel even more loved. We parted shortly after and I rested my head on his shoulder.

"Just so you know, you essentially just turned over all the wedding decisions to me," he smirked.

"Oh did I?"

"You did. That was your opportunity to demand your perfect wedding and you failed to do so. Therefore, I get to plan the wedding. I'm thinking…an outdoor winter wedding, right in front of the Whomping Willow."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. And I will make sure it snows, since I know how much you love snow." It was obvious he was messing with me, since he knew I hated winter and the snow, as well as the deranged willow tree. Instead of getting all pouty like he expected me to react, I decided to surprise him.

"As long as I get to marry you, then I don't care." My words had indeed surprised him. His grin spread from ear to ear and I couldn't help but kiss him.

"Don't worry baby, I'll make sure our wedding is perfect."

"Okay, I'll hold you to that. Might be hard to top Fred and Annabelle though."

"I think we can do it. You know, I was planning to propose to you a few months ago, about the same time when Fred and Annabelle got engaged. But I didn't want to steal his thunder and I didn't want you to think I proposed just because Fred did." For some reason this statement made me giddy. It all just became so much more real. The fact that he had actually almost planned a proposal was reassuring and I knew I'd get my happy ending.

"Really?" I smiled, excitedly.

"Yeah really."

"Weren't striving for the double wedding?"

"Definitely not. I want our wedding to be ours. I don't want to share that day with anyone."

"You really are saying all the right things. What are you trying to get at here? I can't reward you in the way you want to be rewarded. Not here and now."

"But you will keep this in mind when we return to the apartment, right?"

I chuckled, "Maybe. If you behave."

"Now when do I ever behave?" he grinned. I ruffled his hair and kissed him on the cheek.

By this point the cookies and milk were gone. I waved my wand and sent the dirty dishes over to the sink, where I magically cleaned them.

"Ready for bed? Got all your thinking out of the way?"

"I think so. It is pretty late and tomorrow's going to be a long day."

He put his arm around me and we walked up the stairs. Ginny's room was the first bedroom on the way up, but once we reached there, George walked right past it.

"Um, I think this is my stop," I said, as he continued walking.

"No it isn't," he insisted. George grabbed my hand and started pulling me up the stairs. "You're staying with me."

"Don't do this to me. What if we get caught? Your parents will hate me."

"One: my parents could never hate you. They love you more than they love me. And two: when do I ever get caught?" The latter of the two points was definitely true. It wasn't a hard decision to make and I gave in moments later.

We scurried up the stairs, as quietly as possible. The door opened with a slight creak, but Fred was out cold and did not wake.

We tip-toed over to George's bed and he got in before he slid over toward the wall and gave me ample room, which I really didn't even need. George's bed was a twin, which was smaller than we were used to, but I can't say that I minded. It just meant I could snuggle closer with him. He put his arm around me and I rested my head on his chest. He kissed me on the forehead and whispered, "You're perfect. Don't ever change."

"I won't if you won't," I responded.

"I love you Kelsey."

"I love you too, Georgie." It wasn't long before we drifted off to sleep.

* * *

I woke up the next morning with George snoring softly beside me. The sun was just rising, so I could tell it was early. Fred was still asleep so I figured this would be the perfect time to stage my escape. I nudged George gently and he opened his eyes and smiled at me. "Well isn't that a beautiful sight to wake up to," he said, voice stale from sleep. "Stop trying to charm me. You're making it harder to leave."

"Don't leave me," he pouted.

"It'll just be for a couple of hours. I don't want to get in trouble, or to get you in trouble. Come down and grab me on your way to breakfast."

"Yes darling." I kissed him on the cheek and ran my fingers through his hair. He held my hand in his, in what I assume was an attempt for me to stay, and looked at me lovingly. I swiftly hopped out of bed and blew him a kiss before I left the room. The staircase seemed clear and I made it back to Ginny's room without being caught. Hermione and Ginny were still passed out, so I decided to brew a bit of a hangover cure for the two of them to make the morning a bit more pleasant. I crawled into bed and planned to sleep for another hour or two when I heard my name. It was Anna. She clearly had been tossing and turning all night and I couldn't blame her.

"Were you with George last night?" she whispered.

I shrugged, "It's possible. Now hush and get some more sleep. Today's a big day for you. You need to preserve your energy." She shook her head and curled up into a ball under the covers. I closed my eyes for a moment and found myself dozing off.

* * *

I awoke to a figure sitting on my bed and stroking my spine with a gentle touch that almost tickled. I opened my eyes and found George waiting for me. Everyone else was gone and I suspected they had gone downstairs to grab a bite to eat. George helped me out of bed and I stretched before joining the rest of the family downstairs. Everyone was present except for Harry, Ron and Fred. Harry and Ron were still sleeping I'm sure, and Fred was banned from seeing Annabelle so he had to wait until she was finished eating to come downstairs. George and I found seats at the end of the table where we could observe everyone. Ginny and Hermione looked awful and were clearly playing it off as being tired. I saw right through it though and figured I'd be a good friend and help them out. I bumped Hermione's knee and she turned to me with a pained expression. I found her hand under the table and placed the small vial in it. She looked at me confused and I winked at her. I think she trusted me enough to know I had her best interest at heart. When no one was looking, she dumped the contents of the vial into the cups of pumpkin juice in front of her and Ginny. A few sips later and it was like they were good as new. While I wasn't necessarily a potions guru, it was nice to know that I actually found a use for my knowledge. Then again, as a healer, potions often helped plenty of patients; I just didn't usually brew them all myself.

Breakfast came and went and then the stress began. George joined the boys in the backyard. They were responsible for setting up the tent and all the tables, as well as de-gnoming the garden. Meanwhile, the girls gathered upstairs to pamper Anna. The bridesmaids' dresses were lovely, and something I would probably wear again. The dresses were teal, a color everyone looked good in, with a strapless sequined bodice and draped wrap-effect skirt. The dress fell right above the knee and managed to lengthen my legs while also flattering my boyish figure. It was simple, yet still had that mystical element to it; the perfect combination. While all the bridesmaids were making themselves look great, Anna was changing into her gown. She emerged and all of us gawked over her beauty. The strapless, silk chiffon gown could not have been more perfect. The simplicity was breath taking and was perfect for Annabelle. The A-line silhouette gave the illusion that she was floating as she walked and the detailed, shimmery belt gave just the right amount of sparkle. I had never seen a more beautiful bride.

* * *

The backyard was all set up and the guests were seated. Anna was positively freaking out and it was my job to keep her calm and smiling. Of course, I was the first to descend down the aisle so I had to pass off my responsibilities to Hermione for the time being.

George nudged me with his elbow and held his arm out, waiting for me latch onto his bicep. "Ready love?" he asked me. "Let's get this show started," I smiled.

The music started and we took that as our cue to start. The guests all stood up and we gracefully walked down the candlelit path together.

"Don't tell anyone I said this, but I think you're the most beautiful woman here today."

I couldn't hold in my grin and replied, "You know that's why I keep you around, the endless amount of compliments."

"Ah ha ha. Very funny. I know the truth is that you can't resist me."

"You just keep thinking that," I said as we departed. George found his rightful place next to Fred and I stood and watched the rest of the wedding party walk down the aisle. Annabelle was escorted by Mr. Weasley, seeing as her parents couldn't attend the wedding. She was glowing though. The sunlight was hitting her in the perfect spot and she had this twinkle in her eye that completely brightened her face. I looked toward Fred and he was visibly in love. The only time I'd ever seen that look before was when George looked at me that way. As she reached the altar, I held her bouquet as she grabbed Fred's hands. She took a deep breath and focused on holding back her happy tears. I caught George's eyes and noticed while everyone else was watching the happy couple, his eyes were focused on me.

* * *

The ceremony was beautiful. No maid of honor emergencies came up but I still spent my time making every little detail perfect. The reception was even better. Everyone took the opportunity to have a good time and escape from the cruelties that were currently going on in the wizarding realm.

George and I kept the champagne flowing in everyone's glasses, as well as our own. Fred and Anna could be found on the dance floor when they weren't mingling with all the guests. They both just looked so happy and I couldn't help but smile whenever I saw them.

"Kelsey! I know I haven't seen you all day, but I just wanted to thank you for all your hard work. The day has literally gone flawlessly and I owe it all to you," Anna came over and hugged me.

"Oh honey, I just wanted everything to be perfect for your special day!"

"It is, it really is. Stop worrying about everything and go have fun with George!"

"You sure? I mean, what if…"

"Kelsey, stop. Go dance." She didn't have to tell me twice. I gave her another hug and scurried off to find George.

He was over by the bar, talking with Lee and Ron, drinking what I assumed was firewhiskey. I snuck up behind him and ran my hands up and down his back. He turned around and put his arm around me.

"Sorry to interrupt boys. Mind if I steal him for a bit?" I asked. They both nodded at me and I grabbed his hands and led him to the dance floor.

"Where have you been all night?"

"I'm sorry baby. I just wanted to make sure everything was perfect for Anna and Fred."

"Well you did a fantastic job. But I think it's time to hang out with your awesome boyfriend."

"You're right. Now I just need to find him…" I said, looking around the crowd of people.

"Oh you're funny. No wonder I like you so much," he said wrapping his arms around my waist. I just smiled at him and he kissed my nose. I always tried not to show too much PDA, especially around family, but this was a special occasion. Everyone was so loved up that I didn't feel weird being cutesy with George.

He took my hand and we started dancing to whatever upbeat song was playing. I forgot how fun dancing was and it seemed like we had been out there for hours. Soon, the tempo started slowing down and George swiped me up and placed me in waltzing position. His right hand was resting comfortably around my waist while his left was intertwined with mine. My right arm was lightly draped on his shoulder and it almost looked like we knew what we were doing. Normally, the height difference between us would make this difficult, but the heels gave me a few inches and brought our faces closer.

"You know, we should just get married. Like tomorrow," I said, as we swayed to the music.

"Tomorrow?"

"What, is that not enough notice for you? Still deciding if you want to spend the rest of your life with me."

"Oh no. It's not that at all. It's just that I know you and that's not what you really want."

"I just want to marry you." He smiled as I said this and kissed me passionately on the lips.

"But if we got married tomorrow, you wouldn't get to plan out every little detail of the wedding. And you wouldn't get to wear your dream dress. And we wouldn't be able to spend it with all of our friends and family. Don't even try to object because I'm not letting this one go."

"I mean I guess you're right. You always seem to know what's best."

"That's just you wearing off on me,"

"I know I've probably said this a million times, but I don't know what I would do without you."

He kissed me on the forehead and squeezed me tight. The song ended and we stopped swaying and just stood together. My head was resting on his shoulder and I let out a yawn.

"Someone's sleepy," he said, running his fingers through my hair.

"I am pretty exhausted. It's been a long day."

"We can probably turn in. There's still a ton of people here, no one would even notice if we left."

"Yeah, it doesn't seem like this party is dying down anytime soon. I don't know how much longer I can stay awake," I replied.

"Come on then," he grabbed my hand and led me back into the house. The Burrow was quiet, aside from the dull sound of the party outside, which was strange since most of the time there were people running about, fussing over this and that.

We walked up the stairs and found his room. Fred had packed up his stuff, since they were leaving for their honeymoon right away. That meant the room would be all ours tonight. I technically wasn't supposed to sleep in the same bed as George, but I knew that tonight no one would notice or even care. As soon as he shut the door, my lips were on his. I don't think he was expecting me to be so forward, but he definitely didn't mind. I pulled off his suit jacket and started to loosen his tie. He picked me up and carried me over to his bed as I started working on his button down.

"You know, I've always wanted to do it in my childhood bed. Even if it is on the smaller side."

"Oh yeah? Well I guess it's time to cross that off the list," I winked at him


	5. Part 5: The Battle

"What's wrong? What's happening?" I asked. I had arrived in response to the coyote patronus George had just sent. I apparated to the Burrow to see what was going on.

"It's happening," he said.

"Right now?"

"Right now. Everyone's preparing their things, we have to leave soon." Okay, so it was really happening. We knew it was going to happen at some point. I squeezed George's hand, mentally preparing for the journey ahead.

"I'm going with you. I don't care what you say. I'm contributing to this battle," I said.

"I know. I couldn't hold you back no matter how hard I tried. But we need you. You're the best healer there is."

I nodded, knowing he was right and suddenly I felt scared. I began to worry that I might lose George forever. He'd already lost an ear, which in retrospect wasn't a huge deal, but it could've been much worse.

"You okay babe?" He said to me. The look of concern on my face must've been evident. He wrapped an arm around me and pulled me into him.

"I'm just scared, that's all." He rubbed my back and kissed my forehead.

"It'll be okay, we'll make it through this. I know we will." I hoped he was right. I didn't want to lose him, or anyone else for that matter.

"Come on kids, everyone together now!" Mrs. Weasley called. We circled around the portkey that would take us to Hogsmeade. We weren't sure what the state of the castle would be in so we would reevaluate from there. We all grabbed a hold of the kettle and moments later we were airborne. George took a hold of my hand and we let go of the kettle together, floating down onto the familiar grounds. I wasn't sure what the plan was from this point on. I assumed the teachers of Hogwarts were casting protective charms to keep intruders off the grounds. I also did not know if the Death Eaters were nearby and about to attack. We landed safely and I knew we didn't have much time. George seemed to know what to do. He grabbed my hand and we ran off down the deserted road, with Fred accompanying us there. I knew better than to ask questions. I trusted the two and I knew they had a plan. We entered a run down pub, The Hog's Head, which was completely abandoned. George approached the portrait of a young girl, with blonde curls and familiar blue eyes. He nodded at her and she gave a small smile before swinging open to reveal a passageway.

"You two always did know the ins and outs of the castle," I whispered. I had originally thought we might make our way to the castle through the Honeydukes basement, but this surprised me further.

"We never had the chance to use this passageway very much. We had no need to." We walked primarily in silence. I don't think I'd ever seen the boys so serious before. George continued to make small gestures of affection toward me, squeezing my hand, gently rubbing my back and kissing my forehead. It was reassuring and contributed to my calm demeanor. I tried to return the favor the best I could, but I couldn't tell what George was thinking. The silence was killing me too. Everything just felt so intense and I wasn't sure I could handle it.

The end of this tunnel seemed to be in sight and I saw a door swing open in front of us. We were in a large room that featured decorations from three of the four Hogwarts houses. My first instinct told me this was the Room of Requirement. It was the only logical answer.

Once we arrived inside, we were greeted by some familiar faces. I received hugs from Neville, Luna and Ginny just to name a few. They informed us that Harry, Hermione and Ron had recently arrived and were in the process of searching for one of the horcruxes. All the students were in the process of preparing for battle and those underage were being escorted to a safe place.

Fred left the room in search for Professor McGonagall. It was my understanding that we were sent in first to communicate with McGonagall so that she could temporarily take down the guards and let in the other Order of the Phoenix members. Some were on their way through various passageways currently, but a majority were waiting to apparate in.

Several of the students left the makeshift common room and I could feel the emotions welling up inside of me. George pulled my hand to move forward but I stood still. He turned around and his expression immediately turned to concern. I felt the tears steadily falling down my check and I felt pathetic. I wasn't normally emotional and it wasn't often that I cried, but I couldn't control the feeling taking over me.

"Hey, hey it's okay dear. It's okay…" he pulled me into a tight hug.

"I'm-I'm so scared George. What if I can't do this? What if we're in too deep? What if…what if I lose you?"

"Shh….shh….don't speak like that. It's okay," he said, just trying to calm me down at this point. He pulled my face up towards his and I looked deep into his face. "Don't start doubting your abilities now, love. You were born to do this. You always rise to the occasion and exceed everyone's wildest expectations. This is your moment. And I am going to fight with all of my life to get through this for us. My biggest regret right now if that I didn't get the chance to marry you when I knew I should have. And maybe this isn't the best time to do this but I'm done waiting for the perfect moment," he let go of me, except for my hands. He knelt down on one knee and pulled out a small, velvet jewelry box.

"When we were young, my mum always joked that one of the boys in our family would marry one of the girls in yours. And I always knew it would be you and me. We playfully flirted with each other when we were young, before we even knew what flirting was. We would play pranks on our siblings and playfully tease each other, but there was always something special between us. We had fun, but we had our serious moments too, where we could talk about life and our future. Standing here, in the castle where we fell in love, everything feels right. I can remember sneaking up to the astronomy tower to have impromptu make out sessions, cuddling by the fire in the common room, playing footsies at breakfast in the morning, and flying around the quidditch pitch together. Not to mention, the night I snuck in to visit and we spent the night together in this very room. If this is the end for us, at least we had an amazing time together, however short it might have been. But I know this isn't the end for us. This is just another adventure. Please, make me the happiest man alive, and promise you'll marry me?" He opened the box and inside was a brilliant square cut diamond mounted on a rose gold band. Upon further inspection, I realized the band was more intricate than a simple rounded hoop. The gold came together from the stone to create a braiding effect around the ring.

I was speechless, but tears were flowing again; this time, they were happy tears. I managed to nod my head and George took the ring out of the box and slid it on my left hand. Moments later his arms were around my waist and his forehead was pressed against mine. I placed my arms around his neck and kissed him passionately as he lifted me off the ground and spun me around. "I love you so much," I managed to say.

"I love you too," he said as he kissed me again. "I'm sorry the proposal wasn't some extravagant event. I had all this stuff planned out for it but I don't know, this just felt right."

I had to admit I was certainly taken by surprise but I also appreciated the spontaneity. "No, no this is perfect," I added before kissing him once again. Suddenly we heard applause and I looked behind me to find a crowd of friends and students smiling and cheering for us.

"It's about time, mate. I've been waiting for you to pop the question for years now," Fred spoke. He was the first to come over and congratulate us. He wrapped me in a hug and welcomed me officially to the family, even though I'd been a part of it for years. Before anyone else could come over and make a big deal out of this I spoke.

"Not that we don't appreciate all your support, but we should probably start preparing for this climatic battle." For some reason this statement was slightly amusing to some. People had almost completely forgotten the severity of our situation for a brief moment. Before we walked down to the Great Hall, George took my left hand and gently slid the beautiful ring onto my delicate finger. I admired the way it looked and knew that this small trinket would get me through the terrible event that was about to take place. No matter how gruesome or difficult things got, I could look down at my hand and know a piece of George was with me and that alone could bring a smile to my face and provide me with the motivation I needed to keep going.

We scurried down the grand staircase hand-in-hand, careful to anticipate it's changes. Now more than ever I was feeling like a power couple and I needed that feeling to stick with me for all intensive purposes.

The moment I had been dreading all day had finally come: the moment I had to leave George. I didn't want to draw out the goodbye but it could be the last time I ever saw him. He looked down at me as I looked up to him and no words needed to be said. I grabbed his face with my hands and pulled him down to my level as he wrapped his arms around me and squeezed me tight. I wasn't sure how long this kiss lasted but it wasn't long enough. We pulled away and I tried to hold back the tears that were forming. I opened my mouth to bid him farewell and he put his finger on my lips to shush me.

"Don't say it. Don't say what I know you're about to say. This is not goodbye, Kelsey. This is see you in a bit." I nodded my head at this as he kissed my forehead and we walked our separate ways. I looked down at the ring on my finger and regained my composure as I made my way towards the hospital wing. I had to focus, it was game time. Madame Pomfrey was grateful to see me and I immediately got to work preparing different elixirs and potions that would combat certain wounds or injuries. We took inventory of the magical substances we had and organized them in a logical manner that allowed both of us easy access. Our last procedure was to put up a protection spell that specifically shielded the wing. The last thing we needed was duels pouring in here and interrupting the healing procedures. I was already concerned with the space we had to work with. We brought in some extra beds and cots from the dormitories but as far as floor space was concerned we didn't have that much. We weren't trying to be pessimistic, we were trying to be realistic by being over prepared. Hopefully we wouldn't need more space but it was all too likely.

A booming voice came out of nowhere startling me. Madam Pomfrey dropped one of the empty vials she was holding as the voice rang out, "_I know that you are preparing to fight. Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood. Give me Harry Potter, and they shall not be harmed. Give me Harry Potter and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter and you will be rewarded. You have until midnight._"

It was Voldemort. I had never actually heard his voice but it was definitely him. While our deadline was rapidly approaching, it was nice to know we still had a bit of time and death eaters weren't storming the castle just yet. This could've been a ploy by Voldemort to catch us off guard but I highly doubted it. We all knew he wanted Harry and if he could attain him without losing any followers he would. He was clever. He knew Harry was just and wouldn't let innocent people die for him. But there was no way anyone would let Harry leave. He would have to slip away if he planned to approach the Dark Lord. I tried to stop thinking through the situation so much and instead made the most of my time before the blood bath began.

Shelves and shelves of potions, elixirs and medicines filled the hospital wing. I wasn't quite sure what to expect but I kept my wand in hand and prepared for the worst. I was a damn good healer and I was confident in my abilities. My mental pep talk was interrupted by a loud crashing noise and a series of booms. The battle had begun.

* * *

It turned out our preparation in the hospital wing was unnecessary. We wrongfully assumed that this battle would be like a war and that injured fighters would be escorted to the wing. In this situation, however, injuries were minimal; death was overwhelming. The dueling became so intense that wizards and witches were still firing spells while experiencing excruciating pain. Madame Pomfrey and I quickly altered our strategy when we realized people wouldn't cease fighting. We brought out bags of the most important potions and took to the battlefield, searching for anyone on our side who might need some extra strength.

The scene was horrifying and absolutely chaotic. All of my senses were heightened as I realized I needed to remain alert because there was so much occurring. The worst part was all the bodies lying lifeless around the castle. We decided to transport them to the hospital wing to prevent any further damage to the departed. We distributed healing potions and elixirs throughout the castle, thinking that two people couldn't possibly be present for everyone in need.

I darted around, fending off jinxes that were sent my way without engaging in any duels. Across the way a saw a blast of fire and felt like my help was needed. I ran over and found Percy hissing in pain as his arms, hands and neck were scorched. He quickly paralyzed his opponent and took a moment to relieve his burns with some cold water.

"Here, here. Let me help I spoke up, knowing water would only temporarily relieve the pain. I quickly grabbed a tube of burn-healing paste and quickly lathered it over the affected areas. "This should only take a few minutes to work and then you'll be good as new."

"Thanks Kelsey."

"It's good to see you again, Perce," I smiled at him. I left him sitting and went to find others in need of help. But I made a grave mistake.

"Kelsey, look out!" I heard someone call. Before I had time to react I heard a spell whiz past my ear. I turned around to find Dolohov with his wand raised fly backwards after being hit with the Stupefy spell. How could I have been so stupid? I didn't check the surrounding area and almost found myself dead. I was a little shaken up. I turned around to see who had saved me and saw Fred standing on a perch. He raised his eyebrows and gave me a head nod, his nonverbal way of saying you're welcome. I took a few steps over to thank him and suddenly there was an explosion from the outside. Fred's back was turned and he didn't have time to move out of the way. The wall and ceiling came crashing in and landed a few feet shy of me. I looked over to see Fred was no longer visible, likely trapped under a pile of debris. The noise from the explosion blew out my eardrums, and all I could hear was a high-pitched ringing. I started to feel light headed but I still managed to make my way over to Fred as Percy followed close behind me. Percy took the liberty of magically removing the broken pieces of wood and brick so we could reach the twin.

I saw the crooked smile plastered on his face as the color slowly left his cheeks. I placed my hand on his cheek and felt his skin grow cold and I started sifting through my bag of potions, hoping there was something here that might save him. Then I felt Percy's hand on my shoulder and I knew it was too late. He was gone. I felt my legs go weak and a moment later I was on the floor and tears were in my eyes. I wasn't sure if it was the aftermath of the explosion or the sudden onset depression but moments later everything went black.

* * *

"Kelsey. Kelsey, dear," I heard. I opened my eyes and squinted at the figure above me. Madame Pomfrey. I took a deep breath in and slowly sat up as I was still seeing stars. I looked around and saw a few other students recovering in the beds in the hospital wing.

"What…what happened?"

"You passed out. There was an explosion and it shook you up a little bit. You're all right now, you've been here resting for a bit. But the war is over. We emerged victorious." A wave of relief rushed over before the memories of the battle came into my mind again. I just kept replaying the explosion and the expression on Fred's face when we found him. It just made me feel numb. He didn't deserve that. "Why don't you go out to the Great Hall and let people know you're okay." I nodded and slowly walked out of the hospital wing to hopefully be reunited with my friends and family. I just couldn't stop picturing Fred's face and I began to worry that George might have passed too. I wouldn't be able to handle that so I waited, hoping to see him soon enough.

I walked into the Great Hall and found people sitting in small groups scattered among the four long tables, huddled in blankets and covered in blood, sweat and tears. One of the tables was where all the bodies ended up. People would walk around in search for loved ones, hoping they wouldn't find a familiar face. I couldn't be around other people at the moment; it was too hard to see their pain. I sat by myself and put my head in my lap, trying to take deep breaths and prepare myself for what might happen next.

"Kelsey," I heard someone faintly call. I slowly lifted my head to see Hermione approaching me. She threw her hands around my neck and squeezed me tight as I tried to return the affection. "Thank God you made it. Are you alright?" she asked. I nodded wordlessly and she led me over to where a few of the Weasleys were congregated. Percy, Molly and Ron were there. Hermione informed me that they were waiting for the others to see who had made it. Percy and Ron were comforting Molly and I assumed that meant she knew about Fred. My heart dropped to see her look so sad and shedding silent tears. They each hugged me and greeted me warmly, despite the somber mood.

"We, uh, we lost Fred," Ron whispered to me, as he pointed out the ginger body resting on the table a few feet away. I nodded and whispered, "I'm sorry." Ron just rubbed my back and put an arm around me. "Who else has made it that we know of?"

"Dad and Bill are okay. They're helping clean up around the castle and bringing in bodies with some of the others. Harry's around here somewhere."

I shifted my attention yet again to the table supporting the corpses where I spotted a few allies. I lightly gasped and said, "Tonks and Lupin?" The two bodies were lying side by side, almost as if they were holding hands.

"Yeah, they fought bravely but it wasn't enough," he replied. I nodded yet again before asking the question that was burning in my throat.

"Have you heard from George at all?"

Ron looked at me with sad eyes and shook his head no. I accepted his answer and took a seat on the bench. Ron put his arm around me and rubbed my shoulder in a very brotherly manner. Hermione provided some comfort as well saying things like, "I'm sure he's fine Kelsey. He'll turn up." While I knew she meant well, it was only making things worse for me.

"I'm going to get some fresh air. I'll be back." I stood up and walked out to what was left of the Entrance Hall and made my way out to the Viaduct Courtyard. This was one of my favorite spots at Hogwarts and I had so many memories here. We would often hang out here in between classes or study when the weather was nice.

Once George and I started dating, he would prepare little scavenger hunts for me on special occasions with little gifts laid out that reminded him of me and the last spot was always here, where George would be waiting with another surprise. This just became our place, where we would meet before meals or in between classes. It was an unspoken place we shared that no one else knew about.

I walked a few steps further and sat on the ledge beneath one of the arches. This was the exact spot where George told me he would be leaving Hogwarts and he refused to let me come with him. And then a few hours later, I sat here and watched as he departed with the accompaniment of a fireworks display.

I wasn't sure if it was the trip down memory lane or all the events of today were getting to me but I started to cry, something that didn't normally happen to me. The tears were silent, slowly slipping down my cheeks and I was still too numb to emote properly. I sat there and toyed around with my wand casting little spells to keep my mind distracted. I had no idea how long I'd been sitting there but I was completely zoned out to the world. I didn't hear footsteps of a stranger approaching or notice a shadow growing closer to me. It wasn't until I heard the words, "Hey stranger," that I was pulled from my daze.

I looked up and saw a tall figure with ginger hair standing in front of me. My fiancée. I tried to stop crying and smile at him before I dropped my wand and threw myself into his arms.

"I'm so glad you're okay! I love you so much," I said. He stroked the back of my head and turned his head down toward mine, taking in the scent of my hair.

"Come here," he said pulling my face up towards his. He gave me a sweet, passionate kiss, which confirmed that I wasn't dreaming and George was actually here with me. I put my hand on his cheek and soon we pulled away. I looked deep into his eyes and lightly stroked his cheek with my thumb. Suddenly the image of Fred's face entered my mind and I felt a chill go down my spine. I quickly pulled my hand away from George's cheek and held it close to my heart.

"What's wrong, love?" he asked, noting my sudden movement, "You look like you've just seen a ghost." His choice of words couldn't have been worse. I felt my eyes well up with tears and a second later I was sobbing. He pressed me close to his chest and rubbed my back and shoulder, "Shh…shh…it's okay."

"I'm sorry, George. I'm so, so sorry. It's all my fault," I kept repeating. He continued to try and calm me down but nothing was working. It was clear to me that he didn't know. He hadn't checked in with the rest of his family first. Instead he found me. How could I possibly break this news to him?

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault and I understand if you hate me and you don't want to marry me anymore."

"Kelsey, what are you talking about?" he asked, concerned. He attempted to pull my gaze up to meet his but I couldn't look him in the eye. He slowly sat me back on my ledge and squatted to the ground to reach my eye level. My crying had only gotten worse and no matter how many times he wiped the tears away, they always returned.

"Kelsey, take a deep breath, okay?" I did as he said and inhaled deeply a few times. "Now please tell me what's happened."

I knew there was no way I could explain the situation to him but at the same time I knew he was growing anxious being left in the dark. "It's Fred…" I whispered. I saw his face drop and I put my head down once again. I couldn't see him cry. I couldn't see him devastated. He took my hands and stood up, pulling me up from the ledge. He hugged me once again as I continued crying. My sobbing eventually dulled to simple tears again, as I probably didn't have much left in me. He put his arm around my shoulder and we made our way back to the Great Hall.

* * *

Things didn't get much easier. George tried to stay strong but as soon as he saw Fred's body, he broke down. He kneeled down at his side and started weeping, as I stood behind him wrapped in a blanket, struggling to keep my tears to a minimum. I wanted to comfort George but I didn't know what I could say to make this any better. I bent over and wrapped my arms around his neck from behind and whispered, "I'm sorry." I stepped back and slumped down at the neighboring table, cradling my face in my crooked elbow as I sobbed once again. Hermione took the seat next to me and held onto my hand, letting me know she was there if I needed her. Every so often, there was a hand that ran up and down my spine to comfort me. I ended up tiring myself out with all the crying and I fell into a light sleep, a small moment of peace for the day.

I awoke as I felt Hermione squeeze my hand and let go as I felt her stand up from the bench. She whispered something to Ron, I assumed, and the light touch on my back ended as well. It was then I noticed things had gotten quiet. There was no longer a murmur of general chatter, the sighs of relief upon finding another living loved one, and there were no more tears being shed over the lost. I felt someone sit down next to me and an arm wrapped around my shoulder. No words were spoken but I found myself waking up more as I leaned my head into my latest visitor. I took a deep breath in and smelled a familiar musk that I knew belonged to George.

"Hey," he said as he saw my eyes flutter open.

"Hi," I mumbled.

"You get all the tears out?" he asked me, half jokingly.

I gave him a very small smile and said, "Yeah, I think I've dried out."

"Okay, good. Let's go talk somewhere." He took my hands and helped me up. I saw the Great Hall was nearly empty but a walk and a change of scenery was exactly what I needed. We walked in silence but George held my hand the whole time. I glanced down at my left hand and the glimmer of a diamond caught my eye. The ring was absolutely beautiful but after tonight I wasn't sure what would happen between George and I.

We reached the top of the Astronomy Tower and I assumed this was our destination. I looked up at the stars in the sky and found the view to be stunning. After all the destruction of the castle and the horrible events that occurred today, the stars in the sky were still beautiful and the world kept spinning.

"Promise me you won't cry again?" he said as he sat down on the cold, stone floor. "I can't watch you cry anymore. It makes me sad."

I nodded my head and joined him on the ground, "I'll try not to, but no promises."

"Okay, now I know this might be hard for you but I need you to talk to me. What happened with Fred?"

I took a deep breath before I explained the situation to him. "During the battle, I found myself running around and helping to heal people who were injured. Percy was burned pretty badly so I stopped and gave him some cream. Once I finished, I departed without scanning my surroundings and Dolohov was right there, about to curse me. Fred spotted it and called out to warn me before hitting Dolohov with a stunning curse. I turned around to thank him and suddenly there was an explosion. The wall and ceiling caved in, trapping Fred. I went to help him but…it was too late. I'm sorry."

There was a long moment of silence as George processed everything I had just said. I saw the pain in his face and I knew what was coming, so I made it easier on him. I took the delicate ring off my finger and I placed it in his hand. He looked up at me and went to speak but I cut him off.

"I understand if you never want to see me again and we don't have to get married. I know this is all my fault."

"Kelsey, stop. It's not your fault that this happened."

"It is my fault. I'm the reason he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. If I had just been more careful and paid attention, things would have been fine. Then you would still have your best friend and you wouldn't be in so much pain right now."

"Do you know what the last thing Fred said to me was?" I shook my head no so he would continue. "He said to me 'You can make it through anything as long as you have her by your side. She's special, so don't screw it up.' And I think he's right. Fred risked his life to save yours, and in doing that he saved mine too. If I had lost you, I would have been majorly depressed; I would've become a different person; I would've stopped living. While Fred's death is extremely painful for me, I know a part of Fred will always live within me. I know this isn't easy for you either, but you have to stop blaming yourself for this. It isn't your fault. The only way to accept what's happened and to start healing is for you to recognize you are not to blame."

I nodded at him as one silent tear slid down my cheek, He brought me close to him and kissed my temple. I felt better after hearing George and I knew we would have to work together to get through this. "How are we gonna tell Annabelle?" I shyly asked, thinking of Fred's pregnant wife. He insisted she stay safe at home. Surely this news would kill her.

He sighed, "We'll find a way. She's going to need us more than anything to help her get through this. Especially with the pregnancy. It's going to be so much harder on her because she's lost her other half."

"What if she hates me…?" I whispered.

"Kelsey, look at me," he grabbed my shoulders and made direct eye contact with me, "This is not your fault. No one is blaming you. So please stop, okay?" I nodded as he spoke these words to me very clearly. While I still felt responsible for what had happened, I knew that George was being reasonable and that he was probably right. It just wasn't something I could automatically accept. He gently took my left hand and slid the gorgeous ring back onto my finger.

"You still wanna get married, right?" he asked me.

I smiled and kissed him lightly on the lips, "Yes, but I think we should wait. Let all this madness pass and then we can focus on planning the best wedding there ever was."

"That sounds like a wonderful plan. Now, are you ready to go home and get some rest?"

I nodded and we stood up. He put his arm around me and we apparated back to our cozy apartment. It had indeed been a long day and I was physically and emotionally drained. George rinsed off in the shower quickly before letting me get in. Cleaning all the blood and grime off my skin genuinely made me feel better. It was like I was ridding myself of all the bad feelings. I toweled off and put on one of George's T-shirts before I joined him in bed. I curled up next to him and noticed that for the second time today, he was crying. He quickly wiped away his tears once he realized I had joined him, probably so I didn't start crying again. But I felt stronger now and I knew I had to help George heal since this was quite a burden on him. I put my arm around his neck and turned him towards me, so that his head was resting on my chest.

"It's your turn to be sad and my turn to be supportive," I said as I kissed his forehead and ran my fingers through his hair. He turned his full body toward me and wrapped his arms around my torso, pulling me close. I continued to gently scratch his back and arm as his tears started up again. I whispered comforting words to him but I didn't deter him from letting everything out. Soon his breathing turned steady and I assumed he was asleep. I took that as my cue to close my eyes and try to get some rest. Our lives had changed drastically in more than one way today, but I knew as long as we stuck together, everything would be okay.


End file.
